ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #8
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Sara Pichelli
Release Date: March 7, 2012

I’m gonna come out and say it: this is the best book Marvel is putting out. I never expected to be saying this about Ultimate Spider-Man, but each month, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man delivers and issue #8 is no exception. Bendis is weaving a masterpiece with this series and Miles’ life is getting more and more complicated by the day. The storylines in this series are multi-faceted and each issue Miles grows a little more into the hero he can be.  Bendis scripts this issue masterfully and does an exceptional job of keeping parts of the issue light and also exploring the grave nature of the world Miles is walking into. If this kid isn’t careful, he could get himself killed and let me tell you, this Scorpion is not to be messed with. This is the most grown up book about a kid on the market and is both sophisticated & fun. The last thing I will say about this script is that it is some of the best work Bendis has ever done, period.

On the art front, Pichelli’s back! Chris Samnee is a heavyweight who is a fantastic artist, but there is just something about Ultimate Comics Spider-Man being penciled by Sara Pichelli. Her pencils are sharp as ever in this issue and I think because she was the first to draw Miles (and with such skill) she may always be the definitive “Miles Morales artist”. With work this good Pichelli is cementing herself as one of the best artists in comics right now.

I am ending this review with three words that should be reason enough alone to get this book as fast as you can: Big. Fat. Nova.

Verdict: 10/10